The role of the media in election campaign - on the example of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ukraine

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Communication - theoretical approach
• Illustration of the terms
• Mass media and their function
• The social role of the mass media
• The political function of the mass media
• Economical function
• Information function
• Agenda-setting approach
• Mass media and politics
• A Theory of Media Politics
• Basic conflicts in media politics
• Politics and Power
• Mass media and elections
• The media offering during the campaign
• Transition
• The media as subject and object of transition
• Mass media transition in Europe
• Transition in Ukraine
• Transition in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Dictatorship vs. Democracy in political communication
• To trust or not to trust?
• How to place credibility?
• Elections and Election campaign - a review
• Psephology and the history of it
• The reporting models in the mass media during the elections
• Personalisation
• Visualisation
• Professionalism
• Negative campaigning
• Country Bosnia and Herzegovina
• History and recent past
• Political Data
• The Media in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• The Regulative Norms of the Mass Media in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• The regulative Norms for the elections coverage
• Freedom of the Bosnian Media
• 2006 general elections in BH - a turning point or not?
• Ukraine - a sleeping eastern giant
• Television and election campaign in Ukraine
• The transition of the media
• Ukrainian Media today
• The Public Broadcasting Service
• The freedom of the Ukrainian media today
• Ukraine's Orange Revolution
• The behaviour of the Ukraine media during the Orange Revolution
• Empirical approach
• Ukraine vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Hypotheses
• The evaluation of the questionnaire and hypotheses

Objectives and Key Themes

This diploma thesis aims to analyze the role of media in election campaigns, specifically examining the cases of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ukraine. It seeks to understand how media functions within the political landscape of these transitional societies and how this impacts election processes.

• The influence of mass media on political communication in transitional societies.
• A comparative analysis of media systems and their role in elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ukraine.
• The impact of different reporting models (personalization, visualization, professionalism, negative campaigning) on election coverage.
• The relationship between media freedom, regulatory norms, and election outcomes.
• The role of credibility and trust in shaping public opinion during election campaigns.

Chapter Summaries

Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the entire thesis, outlining the research question, methodology, and scope of the study. It explains the author's personal connection to the topic and highlights the significance of understanding the media's role in shaping political narratives within transitional societies like Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ukraine.

Communication - theoretical approach: This chapter lays the groundwork by presenting a theoretical framework for understanding media and its functions in society. It delves into the social, political, economic, and informational roles of mass media, introducing key concepts such as the agenda-setting theory and exploring how these functions interplay within the context of politics.

Transition: This chapter explores the concept of media transition within the broader context of political transition in Europe. It offers a comparative analysis of the media transitions in both Ukraine and Bosnia and Herzegovina, examining the challenges and complexities faced by these nations in establishing independent and credible media systems amidst political instability and historical legacies. The chapter also examines the critical issue of public trust in media, a crucial element in a functioning democracy.

Elections and Election campaign - a review: This chapter provides a historical overview of psephology, the study of elections, and examines various reporting models employed by the mass media during election campaigns. It analyzes the impacts of personalization, visualization, professionalism, and negative campaigning on voter perceptions and election outcomes, highlighting the different effects these models can have in shaping public discourse.

Country Bosnia and Herzegovina: This chapter provides a detailed examination of the media landscape in Bosnia and Herzegovina, encompassing its history, political system, regulatory norms, and the freedom of the press. It analyzes the specific challenges and opportunities faced by the Bosnian media in covering elections and the broader political landscape, shedding light on the complex interplay of politics, media, and societal norms.

Ukraine - a sleeping eastern giant: This chapter focuses on the Ukrainian media system, its transition, current state, and role during significant political events, particularly the Orange Revolution. It examines the level of media freedom, the influence of public broadcasting, and the overall impact of the media on shaping public opinion and political discourse in Ukraine.

Empirical approach: This chapter details the empirical methodology employed in the study, including a comparison of findings from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ukraine. The hypotheses are presented, followed by a discussion of the evaluation process and the interpretation of the results gathered through questionnaires.

Keywords

Media, elections, political communication, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, transition, media freedom, agenda-setting, psephology, comparative analysis, trust, credibility, negative campaigning, Orange Revolution.

Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of Media's Role in Elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ukraine

What is the main focus of this study?

This diploma thesis analyzes the role of media in election campaigns, specifically in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ukraine. It examines how media functions within the political landscape of these transitional societies and how this impacts election processes.

What are the key themes explored in this research?

The study explores the influence of mass media on political communication in transitional societies, compares media systems and their roles in elections in both countries, analyzes the impact of different reporting models (personalization, visualization, professionalism, negative campaigning), investigates the relationship between media freedom, regulatory norms, and election outcomes, and examines the role of credibility and trust in shaping public opinion during election campaigns.

What theoretical framework is used?

The study uses a theoretical framework encompassing the social, political, economic, and informational roles of mass media. Key concepts such as the agenda-setting theory are introduced and explored within the context of politics and transitional societies.

Which countries are compared?

The research provides a comparative analysis of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ukraine, focusing on their media systems and the role of media in their respective election campaigns.

What is the historical context considered?

The study considers the historical context of both countries, acknowledging their transitions from dictatorship to democracy and the impact of historical events on their media landscapes. The Orange Revolution in Ukraine is specifically examined.

What aspects of media coverage are analyzed?

The analysis includes various reporting models used during elections, such as personalization, visualization, professionalism, and negative campaigning. The impact of these models on voter perceptions and election outcomes is discussed.

What is the role of media freedom and regulation examined?

The study examines the relationship between media freedom, regulatory norms, and election outcomes in both countries. It explores the regulatory norms governing election coverage and their effectiveness.

How is the issue of public trust in media addressed?

The research addresses the crucial issue of public trust in media and its influence on public opinion during election campaigns. It investigates how credibility is established and maintained in transitional societies.

What is the methodology used in this research?

The study employs an empirical approach, using a comparative analysis of data from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ukraine. Hypotheses are formulated and tested through questionnaires, and the evaluation process and interpretation of results are detailed.

What are the key findings of the empirical research?

The specific findings of the empirical research comparing Ukraine and Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the evaluation of questionnaires and hypotheses, are presented in the "Empirical approach" chapter. This section provides a detailed analysis of the collected data and its interpretation.

What are the key takeaways and conclusions of the study?

The study concludes by summarizing the key findings related to the role of media in shaping political narratives, influencing election outcomes, and contributing to the overall democratic processes in both Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ukraine. Specific conclusions based on the data analysis are provided.